Four generations gathered yesterday amid clicking cameras, hugs and laughter to celebrate the birthday of their Eldest relative, Jack Tamis. The avid golf and pool fan, who is 105 today, was quite talkative when the subject turned to sports.

Tamis was an athlete and remained active well into his 90s. He played golf until a few years ago, said his daughter Edna Goldin. Andrew Tamis admitted his great-grandfather was "an amazing pool player. He could probably still beat me."

[...] And after more than eight decades, his heart and soul are still in his work.

Tamis credited his passion to John Tanner, a cigarette-case maker from Europe.

"My father always felt he had something to contribute and had a certain kind of will about him," said Tamis' son, Bill. "He wanted to find a way to be useful, and still today when I see him, he's always asking me about the business."

[...] During his career, Tamis developed a new type of adjustable backing for clip-on earrings and created a basket-weave design that the company now uses for gold bracelets. Until a recent shoulder injury, he was working on a gold woven bracelet.

"He has a bench in his room and still makes earring backs," said daughter-in-law Sherri. "Today, handmade jewelry is a dying art."

I was curious, so I looked up the company's web site, Louis Tamis & Sons. Here are a few pieces from their collection of gold and gemstone jewelry, though I'm not sure if the birthday boy made any of these or not.